• Numbered Discourses 5.56 Aį¹…guttara Nikāya 5.56
  • 6. Hindrances 6. NÄ«varaṇavagga

Mentor Upajjhāyasutta

Then a mendicant went up to his own mentor, and said, Atha kho aƱƱataro bhikkhu yena sako upajjhāyo tenupasaį¹…kami; upasaį¹…kamitvā sakaṁ upajjhāyaṁ etadavoca: ā€œNow, sir, my body feels like it’s drugged. I’m disorientated, the teachings don’t spring to mind, and dullness and drowsiness fill my mind. I lead the spiritual life dissatisfied, and have doubts about the teachings.ā€ ā€œetarahi me, bhante, madhurakajāto ceva kāyo, disā ca me na pakkhāyanti, dhammā ca maṁ nappaį¹­ibhanti, thinamiddhaƱca me cittaṁ pariyādāya tiį¹­į¹­hati, anabhirato ca brahmacariyaṁ carāmi, atthi ca me dhammesu vicikicchÄā€ti.

Then that mendicant took his protĆ©gĆ© to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, Atha kho so bhikkhu taṁ saddhivihārikaṁ bhikkhuṁ ādāya yena bhagavā tenupasaį¹…kami; upasaį¹…kamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisÄ«di. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: ā€œSir, this mendicant says this: ā€œayaṁ, bhante, bhikkhu evamāha: ā€˜Now, sir, my body feels like it’s drugged. I’m disorientated, the teachings don’t spring to mind, and dullness and drowsiness fill my mind. I lead the spiritual life dissatisfied, and have doubts about the teachings.ā€™ā€ ā€˜etarahi me, bhante, madhurakajāto ceva kāyo, disā ca maṁ na pakkhāyanti, dhammā ca me nappaį¹­ibhanti, thinamiddhaƱca me cittaṁ pariyādāya tiį¹­į¹­hati, anabhirato ca brahmacariyaṁ carāmi, atthi ca me dhammesu vicikicchÄā€™ā€ti.

ā€œThat’s how it is, mendicant, when your sense doors are unguarded, you eat too much, you’re not dedicated to wakefulness, you’re unable to discern skillful qualities, and you don’t pursue the development of the qualities that lead to awakening in the evening and toward dawn. Your body feels like it’s drugged. You’re disorientated, the teachings don’t spring to mind, and dullness and drowsiness fill your mind. You lead the spiritual life dissatisfied, and have doubts about the teachings. ā€œEvaƱhetaṁ, bhikkhu, hoti indriyesu aguttadvārassa, bhojane amattaƱƱuno, jāgariyaṁ ananuyuttassa, avipassakassa kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ, pubbarattāpararattaṁ bodhipakkhiyānaṁ dhammānaṁ bhāvanānuyogaṁ ananuyuttassa viharato, yaṁ madhurakajāto ceva kāyo hoti, disā cassa na pakkhāyanti, dhammā ca taṁ nappaį¹­ibhanti, thinamiddhaƱcassa cittaṁ pariyādāya tiį¹­į¹­hati, anabhirato ca brahmacariyaṁ carati, hoti cassa dhammesu vicikicchā.

So you should train like this: Tasmātiha te, bhikkhu, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ā€˜I will guard my sense doors, eat in moderation, be dedicated to wakefulness, discern skillful qualities, and pursue the development of the qualities that lead to awakening in the evening and toward dawn.’ ā€˜indriyesu guttadvāro bhavissāmi, bhojane mattaññū, jāgariyaṁ anuyutto, vipassako kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ, pubbarattāpararattaṁ bodhipakkhiyānaṁ dhammānaṁ bhāvanānuyogaṁ anuyutto viharissāmī’ti. That’s how you should train.ā€ EvaƱhi te, bhikkhu, sikkhitabbanā€ti.

When that mendicant had been given this advice by the Buddha, he got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving. Atha kho so bhikkhu bhagavatā iminā ovādena ovadito uį¹­į¹­hāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

Then that mendicant, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness. Atha kho so bhikkhu eko vÅ«pakaį¹­į¹­ho appamatto ātāpÄ« pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diį¹­į¹­heva dhamme sayaṁ abhiƱƱā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi.

He understood: ā€œRebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.ā€ ā€œKhīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyÄā€ti abbhaƱƱāsi. And that mendicant became one of the perfected. AƱƱataro pana so bhikkhu arahataṁ ahosi.

When that mendicant had attained perfection, he went up to his own mentor, and said, Atha kho so bhikkhu arahattaṁ patto yena sako upajjhāyo tenupasaį¹…kami; upasaį¹…kamitvā sakaṁ upajjhāyaṁ etadavoca: ā€œNow, sir, my body doesn’t feel like it’s drugged. I’m not disorientated, the teachings spring to mind, and dullness and drowsiness don’t fill my mind. I lead the spiritual life satisfied, and have no doubts about the teachings.ā€ ā€œetarahi me, bhante, na ceva madhurakajāto kāyo, disā ca me pakkhāyanti, dhammā ca maṁ paį¹­ibhanti, thinamiddhaƱca me cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiį¹­į¹­hati, abhirato ca brahmacariyaṁ carāmi, natthi ca me dhammesu vicikicchÄā€ti.

Then that mendicant took his protĆ©gĆ© to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, Atha kho so bhikkhu taṁ saddhivihārikaṁ bhikkhuṁ ādāya yena bhagavā tenupasaį¹…kami; upasaį¹…kamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisÄ«di. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: ā€œSir, this mendicant says this: ā€œayaṁ, bhante, bhikkhu evamāha: ā€˜Now, sir, my body doesn’t feel like it’s drugged. I’m not disorientated, the teachings spring to mind, and dullness and drowsiness don’t fill my mind. I lead the spiritual life satisfied, and have no doubts about the teachings.ā€™ā€ ā€˜etarahi me, bhante, na ceva madhurakajāto kāyo, disā ca me pakkhāyanti, dhammā ca maṁ paį¹­ibhanti, thinamiddhaƱca me cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiį¹­į¹­hati, abhirato ca brahmacariyaṁ carāmi, natthi ca me dhammesu vicikicchÄā€™ā€ti.

ā€œThat’s how it is, mendicant, when your sense doors are guarded, you’re moderate in eating, you’re dedicated to wakefulness, you’re able to discern skillful qualities, and you pursue the development of the qualities that lead to awakening in the evening and toward dawn. Your body doesn’t feel like it’s drugged. You’re not disorientated, the teachings spring to mind, and dullness and drowsiness don’t fill your mind. You lead the spiritual life satisfied, and have no doubts about the teachings. ā€œEvaƱhetaṁ, bhikkhu, hoti indriyesu guttadvārassa, bhojane mattaƱƱuno, jāgariyaṁ anuyuttassa, vipassakassa kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ, pubbarattāpararattaṁ bodhipakkhiyānaṁ dhammānaṁ bhāvanānuyogaṁ anuyuttassa viharato, yaṁ na ceva madhurakajāto kāyo hoti, disā cassa pakkhāyanti, dhammā ca taṁ paį¹­ibhanti, thinamiddhaƱcassa cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiį¹­į¹­hati, abhirato ca brahmacariyaṁ carati, na cassa hoti dhammesu vicikicchā.

So you should train like this: Tasmātiha vo, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ā€˜We will guard our sense doors, eat in moderation, be dedicated to wakefulness, discern skillful qualities, and pursue the development of the qualities that lead to awakening in the evening and toward dawn.’ ā€˜indriyesu guttadvārā bhavissāma, bhojane mattaƱƱuno, jāgariyaṁ anuyuttā, vipassakā kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ, pubbarattāpararattaṁ bodhipakkhiyānaṁ dhammānaṁ bhāvanānuyogaṁ anuyuttā viharissāmā’ti. That’s how you should train.ā€ EvaƱhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabbanā€ti.

Chaṭṭhaṁ.